Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Review:Withdrawal-Never

One of the biggest surprises at the end of the year came in the form of the release of the long awaited full length LP from Winnipeg hardcore band Withdrawal. After several awesome EP's and split releases that highlighted the band's intense take on the crushing metallic hardcore sound that bands like All Out War, Integrity, and Ringworm brought to the forefront in the 90's. The wait was indeed worth it, as Never shows Withdrawal in top form and this stands as their best material to date.

Fans of the aforementioned bands and the metallic hardcore they crafted will certainly appreciate not only the vitriol and energy that Withdrawal bring to the table with these 10 songs,, but also their excellent use of atmosphere and dynamics. Their vicious brand of hardcore is spaced out with gloomy melodic passages and build ups that always keep things interesting and always transition perfectly back into heavier sections. A blistering listen from start to finish, Never is filled to the brim with memorable riffs and crushing sections that you'll want to come back to again and again.

Never is an excellent LP that both pays respect to the Cleveland metallic hardcore bands that influenced Withdrawal as well as pushing forward with a new high watermark for the band. It's definitely worth a listen immediately if you're into any of the aforementioned bands and heavy hardcore in general. Check below for a stream of the entire album via the Escapist Records bandcamp, as well as a link to purchase a physical copy of the record via their webstore.